


Alternate Reality

by TheCephalopodAgency



Series: Unfinished Snippets, The Series™ [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Depressed Lance (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), M/M, Self Harm, but have it anyway, but they still work somehow, canon lance does not tolerate langst lance's team, form beetron!!, he tries, i wanted to put as many langst tropes in as i could before i gave up on this, keith also makes terrible bee jokes, keith is bad at motivational speeches, lions are bees, recovering lance, snippets of bigger scenes, this will never be finished
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-28 23:47:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15717558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCephalopodAgency/pseuds/TheCephalopodAgency
Summary: Canon!Lance and Langst!Lance swap universes.





	Alternate Reality

**Author's Note:**

> Lance and Keith train together on Tuesdays because I say so.

“Everyone get ready for training. We need to practice forming Voltron again since Lance decided to swap realities.” Shiro shot him a dirty look Lance had never seen on his own Shiro.

 

“Excuse me? We didn't decide anything.” What the hell was wrong with people in this reality? The Shiro he knew would never say anything like that. “If anyone is to blame it’s the witch for destabilizing the wormhole.”

* * *

 

“I wouldn't form Voltron with you if my _life_ depended on it!” Lance shouted. “I don't how you could do this with _your_ Lance if you treat him like this!” Shiro pounded his fist on the table.

 

“We don't have time for your foolishness right now. We need to be able to form Voltron to stop Zarkon, and if you won't do it, we’ll replace you.”

 

Even though this wasn't his Shiro, the words were like a slap to the face. He bit back the sudden urge to cry and let his, and the blue lion--Bee’s anger flow through him.

 

“You forget that the lions- er, the Bees, choose their Paladins. Blue is on my side, and if you want her help, you need to reevaluate your abusive behavior towards my counterpart.” He was proud of how level he kept his tone as he told the Black Paladin off. Shiro’s angry shouts fell on deaf ears as Lance spun on his heel and left.

* * *

 

“Oh no…” he held the tiny blade fragment in his hand and lightly rubbed his finger over a stain of blood. The ancient marks on his arms seemed to burn and for a moment emotions welled up within him and made him choke.

 

Had he never stopped in this reality? Had Hunk never caught on to his cutting during middle school? Or did he just not care? Considering what his friend had become in this reality it could be any of the above.

* * *

 

“Start ranged training sequence level ten,” Lance said sharply. He needed to work out some aggression and Level Ten was the perfect way to do it. He didn't usually go any higher than level three unless he was doing team training, but level ten was the exception. It was the first Sniping challenge and the best to warm up on.

 

While the small arena arranged itself and prepared to spawn in the gladiators, Lance climbed onto one of the many ledges that popped out of the wall and set up his bayard. For the next few hours he pulled a Keith ( _his_ Keith, not the one from this hellish reality) and decimated the castle's supply of gladiators. He finally stopped around ten at night when his vision started to blur from his tired eyes.

 

“Stop ranged training sequence level ten,” he ordered, feeling a lot calmer than he did before. He was starting to see why Keith trained so much when he was upset. He was too exhausted to really feel angry anymore.

 

“What are you doing in here?”

 

Lance jumped and a tiny shriek escaped. It was asshole Keith, looking at him with distaste.

 

“It’s called training. I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”

 

Keith snorted. “You? Training? I was being serious. What are you doing in here?”

 

Lance frowned. “I was _training_ ,” he insisted. “Just because I’m in another reality doesn't mean I can't do that.”

* * *

 

“What’s this?” Lance asked, examining the strange container with a confused curiosity. Coran gave him a funny look.

 

“Do you not have the chemical imbalances in your reality?”

 

Lance’s eyes widened. “This-- is this my…” He popped the cap off of the container and felt his eyes start to water when he saw the familiar chalky white tablets. His hands were shaking. He quickly replaced the cap so he didn't spill any and wiped his eyes.

 

“How did you find them?”

 

“We synthesized them using some of our own Altean medicines. Your reality hasn't done this?”

 

“N-no, I told Shiro about my problem but he said we didn't have the resources to waste on me. I ran out about a month after I left Earth.”

 

“What?!” Lance jumped. Coran never yelled at him, even when Lance did something stupid. He stumbled back a few steps to get away from his uncharacteristic anger. Coran’s mustache was bristling and his eyes had a hard edge to them.

 

“I-I’m sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!”

 

Coran immediately dropped dark expression and winced.

 

“I’m not upset with you Lance, I’m upset that you haven't been getting the care you need. It’s a simple process to make your medication and that other Shiro has no right to tell you your health isn't as important as conserving resources, especially resources we weren't using beforehand.” Coran looked over his face for a moment and made the decision to step forward and touch his shoulder gently. Lance stiffened for a moment and then relaxed.

* * *

 

“We’re having a team meeting, just the five of us. Lance is occupied by Coran at the moment, so we have time to discuss what to do.” Shiro looked around the table at the other Paladins and Allura, all wearing the same expression.

 

“We need to get our Lance back,” Allura said, “but also decide what to do about this Lance.”

 

“I can't in good conscience send him back if he’s being neglected and abused by his version of… well, _us_.”

 

“Can we help him somehow?” Pidge suggested. “If we make him see that they’re wrong, he won’t have to listen to what they say.”

 

“It won’t work that way and you know it,” said Hunk. “We have to do something about them if we want to help.”

 

“I can't stand it,” Keith huffed. “He’s so… _sad_ and _quiet_. Lance is supposed to be loud and annoying. What could have happened in that reality that made him so different?”

 

“There are some things Lance never told you guys,” Hunk sighed. “Coran and I are the only ones who know, and he would hate that I’m telling you this… but it _is_ for good reason.”

 

“Lance has depression. Coran has been synthesizing his antidepressant and the two of us have been supporting him. He’s had it for a long time, at least since before we met in middle school.”

 

“Our Lance? But he’s so happy all the time,” Keith said.

 

“Depressed people aren’t sad all the time, Lance has a lot of good days. He has our support, even if you didn’t realise it, and he has his medication.”

* * *

 

“There’s also something else… our Lance hasn't felt the need to do it in years, but this Lance still does. Before I tell you, promise you won't freak out or treat either Lance differently. It would only make it worse if you did.”

 

The others looked at each other, confused, but determined. After everyone agreed, Hunk sighed.

 

“In middle school, when I met Lance, I found him hurting himself. He would cut or scratch himself until he bled when he got overwhelmed. I helped him stop by the time we made it to high school, so he hasn't done it in over two years now.”

 

“Why would he do that?” Keith frowned. “There’s no way that could help.”

 

“It does help, in a strange. Twisted way. When he gets overwhelmed, he describes it to me as feeling numb, like he’s floating away from his body. Hurting himself is like an anchor reminding his brain that he’s still there.

* * *

 

“Where are you going, Keith?”

 

“I’m going to talk to Lance. I want to try something to help him.”

 

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Pidge asked. “I mean you and our Lance fight all the time.”

 

“But we’re still friends! I just can't stand back and watch him like this.”

* * *

 

“Hey Lance, are you ready?”

 

“Ready for what?”

 

“You know? Our self defense training?” Keith prompted. “Every other quintant? It’s Space Tuesday.”

 

“Space Tuesday?” Wait, we train together on Tuesdays?”

 

“And Thursdays and Saturdays too.”

 

“I usually train on my own. I always get in your way.”

 

“That’s du… weird. I don't mind training with you. I would rather you know how to protect yourself.”

* * *

 

“Start ranged training sequence ten.”

 

“Ten?! I’ve never even cleared level three!”

 

“Calm down, this is the first level of the sniper training. This is our Lance’s favorite. Nobody else is even close to his score on this one.” Keith pointed to the ledges now dotted along the wall.

 

“Come on.” Lance followed Keith as he climbed up to the closest one. He settled down flat on his stomach and indicated for Lance to do the same. “Have you used your rifle’s secondary feature yet?”

 

“Secondary feature?”

 

“Activate you bayard and I’ll show you.” Lance did so, and Keith pointed to a small button on the side he never noticed before. Lance pressed the button and the barrel of his bayard elongated.

 

“Whoa…”

 

“It’s how Pidge uses her katar as a grappling hook and a taser. Yours is a sniper rifle. Hunk and I haven’t unlocked a secondary feature.”

* * *

 

“I didn't even reach half of his accuracy score,” Lance frowned. Even his other self was better than him.

 

“Don’t do that,” Keith frowned. “You did really good for your first try.” He tapped at the console, and brought up the original Lance’s record. “You scored higher than he did on his first attempt.”

 

“I did… I did well?” Hearing he didn't mess up was so alien to him at this point, but it was there in front of him, he beat his other self’s original score by a few percentage points.

 

“Yeah. You’ll get better, too. Ours did, and if you’re anything like him, which you are by the way, you’ll be just as good.”

 

“You really think so, Keith?”

 

“I know you’ll do it. Have some faith in yourself. We’re only as good as we are because we practice, and if you keep at it you could be the best.”

 

Lance was quiet for a moment while his words sunk in then he started snickering.

 

“What? Did I say something funny?” Keith asked, furrowing his brow in confusion. Lance’s snickers turned into laughter after looking at Keith’s expression. Keith normally might have been annoyed, but seeing this Lance laughing and looking so happy after days of being so ‘not Lance’, made him smile.

 

“Hey Lance?” He asked when Lance stopped laughing.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“How does a bee brush its hair?”

 

“What?” Now Lance looked as confused as he did a moment ago.

 

“How does a bee brush its hair?” He asked again.

 

“I- well I guess it might… no… I don't know?”

 

Keith leaned closer, his own urge to laugh barely contained, and whispered quietly, “with a honeycomb.”

 

And then they were both laughing.

* * *

 

“I thought you could use the confidence boost. Don't tell our Lance I said this but he’s actually amazing behind a rifle. His ego is already big enough so I don't tell him that often.” The watery smile on Lance’s face made his heart do something strange.

 

“Thanks Keith.”

 

“It was no problem,” he replied, smiling back. “If you want, I wouldn't mind training with you some more.”

* * *

 

“Yeah? Well I have something to say to you!” Keith spat. “What’s wrong with you people? Lance-- _both of,_ erm, him-- isn't a punching bag! They’re _people._ ”

 

“That’s right!” Pidge added in. “He might be annoying sometimes but we all are from time to time. I wouldn't want anyone else in space with me!”

 

“If you can't learn to appreciate what you have,” the original Lance spat, “then you shouldn't miss him when I take him back with us.”

 

Then it dissolved into a shouting match between Paladins.

 

The other Lance wiped his eyes. “You don't have to do that, I can- I can handle going back…” But he really didn't want to. He was suddenly engulfed in a hug from the other Blue Paladin.

 

“I’ve only lived with these jerks for a month and I’m already past the threshold of shit I can put up with. I don't know how you lasted as long as you did, but I’m not sending you back there. They can find a new Paladin if they think there’s anyone as good as you, and you can share Blue with me. She already loves you.”

 

“I- but the Blue Bee needs me…”

 

“I’m sure she’ll understand, my boy,” Coran cut in. “The wellbeing of their Paladins is important to them. If being in this reality is what you need then she will miss you, but she won't force you to stay.”

 

Lance was quiet for a while. He dug his fingers into the fabric of the other Lance’s shirt and closed his eyes.

 

“I want to talk to Blue first before I decide anything…” he mumbled.

 

“That’s fine, we’ll wait as long as we need to.”

* * *

 

Lance sat in his pilot seat and inhaled deeply. The lights were low and there was a pleasant coolness to the cockpit that made him feel comfortable.

 

“Hey, Blue,” he started quietly. “I’m sure you’ve heard already but the other team fixed the problem that warped our realities, and… they want me I stay with them.” He was quiet, waiting for a reaction. Blue didn't show him anything but he felt a soft rumble vibrate his seat.

 

“I don't want to abandon my world or you but… they’ve been so nice to me and I'm afraid of my team. I don't want to lose my friends when I finally feel safe, you know?”

 

Blue pushed an image into his head of him next to his team and another of him next to the other Lance's team. The second one was more focused and he could feel how much she preferred the second one over the first.

 

“You really think I should go?” He said quietly. “Who would pilot you?”

 

Blue was silent for a while, flickering rapidly through images of the many people they knew. Eventually she settled uneasily on Allura.

* * *

 

“Blue says I should go back. She wants me to be happy, and I--” he swallowed, looking his Shiro in the eye. “I’m going with them.”

 

“Don’t be an idiot, Lance, finding a better Paladin for Blue will just set us back.”

 

“Blue already solved that problem too,” he muttered. “She said the Princess can pilot her if she can learn how to exemplify the qualities of the Blue Bee.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I headcanon that Lance is depressed because he does a lot of the things I do as a depressed person. Unlike me, Lance has a lot of support and can afford antidepressants that help a lot, so I'm projecting a recovering Lance on one and a dying inside Lance on the other.
> 
> Things that I would have included:
> 
> Lance kicking Langst!Keith's ass in training because Langst!Keith underestimated him  
> Keith falling for Langst!Lance and Langst!Lance falling for Keith  
> Langst!Lance being adopted as Lance's twin when they returned to Earth


End file.
